3 Innovative Cat Shelters to Know About
In honor of Adopt-a-Cat month, a look at three innovative shelter programs.
Photo: Second grader Colby Procyk shares a book—and a cuddle—with a shelter cat at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County in 2014.
Hello, Kitty
Cats typically can't be adopted if they're less than 2 months old—too young to care for themselves, they require round-the-clock feeding, plus they're vulnerable to disease. To ensure orphaned kittens make it to adoptable age, the Best Friends Animal Society set up nurseries at its Los Angeles and Salt Lake City centers, where staff and volunteers cuddled and bottle-fed nearly 3,400 kittens in 2014; this year their goal is more than 3,600. Sign us up.
Silver Lining
A mutual fondness for napping isn't the only thing that makes senior citizens and elderly cats a perfect pair. The senior-matching program at PAWS Companion Animal Shelter outside Seattle says that in addition to being better suited for mature cats with less energy, older adopters may gain some health benefits: Cats can lower their owners' stress levels and risk of heart attack.
Reading Between The Felines
At the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania, students who tackle their summer reading lists will be rewarded with purrs and snuggles. The Book Buddies program invites first through eighth graders to read to shelter cats. The animals get some love, and the kids get to practice reading in a fuzzy, no-judgment zone.
Hello, Kitty
Cats typically can't be adopted if they're less than 2 months old—too young to care for themselves, they require round-the-clock feeding, plus they're vulnerable to disease. To ensure orphaned kittens make it to adoptable age, the Best Friends Animal Society set up nurseries at its Los Angeles and Salt Lake City centers, where staff and volunteers cuddled and bottle-fed nearly 3,400 kittens in 2014; this year their goal is more than 3,600. Sign us up.
Silver Lining
A mutual fondness for napping isn't the only thing that makes senior citizens and elderly cats a perfect pair. The senior-matching program at PAWS Companion Animal Shelter outside Seattle says that in addition to being better suited for mature cats with less energy, older adopters may gain some health benefits: Cats can lower their owners' stress levels and risk of heart attack.
Reading Between The Felines
At the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania, students who tackle their summer reading lists will be rewarded with purrs and snuggles. The Book Buddies program invites first through eighth graders to read to shelter cats. The animals get some love, and the kids get to practice reading in a fuzzy, no-judgment zone.
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